Baked Eggs with Heirloom Tomatoes
Juicy tomatoes, fresh herbs and a touch of cream lend rich appeal to this dish.
Ingredients:
2 tablespoons butter
1 cup heirloom tomatoes, chopped
½ cup chopped fresh basil
¼ cup chopped fresh Italian parsley
4 eggs
4 teaspoons heavy cream
Sea salt and fresh ground pepper
Grana-style cheese (optional)
Method:
1. Preheat oven to 350°. Generously butter four ½-cup ramekins.
2. In a bowl, stir together the tomatoes, basil, parsley, plus salt and pepper. Divide evenly among the prepared ramekins. Cut the 2 tablespoons of butter into small pieces and divide among the ramekins, sprinkling the pieces evenly over the tomato mixture. Break an egg into each ramekin. Season with more salt and pepper as needed. Drizzle each egg with 1 teaspoon of the cream. Arrange the ramekins on a rimmed baking sheet.
3. Bake until the egg whites are opaque and the yolks have firm edges and are soft in the center, about 15 minutes. Remove from the oven and sprinkle each serving with cheese, if using. Serve immediately.
Local, Fresh, Convenient CSA Subscriber?
Have our fresh Farm & Larder goods hand-delivered to your home each week.
Baked Eggs with Crème Fraîche & Fresh Herbs
These oeufs en cocotte boast a wonderful balance between the rich crème fraîche and the bright parsley and chives.
Ingredients:
8 large eggs
1 cup Farm & Larder crème fraîche
Pinch nutmeg
3 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
3 tablespoons snipped fresh chives
Sea salt and fresh ground pepper
Method:
1. Preheat the oven to 350°.
2. Season the crème fraîche with salt, freshly ground pepper and a pinch of nutmeg.
3. Place a heaped tablespoon of crème fraîche in the bottom of a small individual ramekin or custard cup*, followed by a sprinkling of parsley and chives. Crack an egg on top, add a second tablespoon of crème fraîche and sprinkle with an additional pinch each of salt, pepper and nutmeg. Repeat with remaining ramekins.
4. Place the ramekins in a baking dish and pour enough lukewarm water into the dish to come halfway up the sides of the ramekins.
5. Bake for 15 minutes or until the egg yolks are set to your liking. Finish each serving with additional chopped herbs.
*This dish can also be made in a large baking dish, or even in a few smaller baking dishes. Spread a thin layer of cheese and herbs on bottom, carefully crack eggs and space out evenly, then dollop additional cheese and add water as directed above.
Local, Fresh, Convenient CSA Subscriber?
Have our fresh Farm & Larder goods hand-delivered to your home each week.
Roasted Heirloom Tomatoes
As good as heirloom tomatoes are fresh, roasting them concentrates their flavor even more!
Ingredients:
1½-2 pounds assorted heirloom tomatoes
2 shallots, each quartered
4 garlic cloves, peeled
¼ cup olive oil
2 teaspoons freshly-chopped thyme leaves, plus 3 sprigs fresh thyme
Sea salt and fresh ground pepper
Method:
1. Preheat oven to 450°.
2. In a large baking dish, arrange the tomatoes, shallots and garlic in a single layer. Drizzle the vegetables evenly with the olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Sprinkle with the chopped thyme and nestle the thyme sprigs around the tomatoes.
3. Roast the tomatoes until they are softened but still hold their shape, 15 to 20 minutes, stirring once halfway through the cooking time. Serve warm or at room temperature.
Local, Fresh, Convenient CSA Subscriber?
Have our fresh Farm & Larder goods hand-delivered to your home each week.
Tomato Fritters
A favorite throughout the Mediterranean, these delightfully-crisp nibbles are a wonderful pairing for a summer salad.
Ingredients:
3 cups ripe heirloom or cherry tomatoes, or a mixture of both, grated or finely chopped
3 purple scallions, purple and tender green parts, finely chopped
2 tablespoons fresh oregano, finely chopped
4 tablespoons fresh mint, finely chopped
Pinch of cinnamon (optional)
1¼-1 ½ cups all-purpose flour
½ teaspoon baking powder
Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
Olive oil or vegetable oil for frying
Method:
1. In a large bowl, mix together the grated or chopped tomatoes, scallions, herbs, cinnamon if using, salt and pepper. Combine 1¼ cups of the flour and the baking powder in a small bowl and add it to the tomatoes, mixing well. Add flour if necessary to give the mixture the consistency of a thick batter. Taste and adjust the seasoning with salt and pepper.
2. Heat about 1 ½ inches of oil in a large, heavy skillet over medium-high heat. When the oil is very hot, drop a tablespoon of the batter at a time into the skillet and fry the tomato fritters on both sides until golden. Remove with a slotted spoon and let drain on paper towels. Serve hot.
Local, Fresh, Convenient CSA Subscriber?
Have our fresh Farm & Larder goods hand-delivered to your home each week.
Slow-Roasted Heirloom Tomatoes
Slow-roasting these beautiful tomatoes concentrates their unique flavor—try these with a drizzle of pesto!
Ingredients:
1 pound heirloom tomatoes
2 tablespoons ultra-fine sugar
1 tablespoons green peppercorns
Good quality olive oil
Sea salt
Method:
1. Cut off the stem end of the tomato and then slice it into approximately ½-inch slices. When all the tomatoes are sliced, place them on a rimmed sheet pan and brush or drizzle olive oil over each tomato slice.
2. Mix the sugar and the salt together. Sprinkle some of the sugar/salt mixture on each tomato. In a mortar, grind the peppercorns until very crushed but not totally pulverized, then sprinkle over tomatoes.
3. Put the pan of tomatoes into a 175° oven for about 3 hours until caramelized.
Local, Fresh, Convenient CSA Subscriber?
Have our fresh Farm & Larder goods hand-delivered to your home each week.
Vanilla Bean French Toast
Prep this fragrant French toast the night before, and then bake it in the oven right before brunch—easy, peasy!
Ingredients:
1 loaf cinnamon bread, cut into 1-inch slices
6 eggs, lightly beaten
2 cups half-and-half
¼ cup firmly packed light brown sugar
1 teaspoon grated lemon zest
1 vanilla bean, split lengthwise
½ cup maple syrup
2 tablespoons butter, plus more for greasing
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Fresh berries and confectioner’s sugar, for topping
Method:
1. Preheat an oven to 425°. Butter or grease the bottom and sides of a 9-by-13-inch baking dish. Set aside, Arrange the bread slices in a single layer on a baking sheet. Toast until the bread is lightly golden brown and dry, about 7 minutes, flipping the slices about halfway through the cooking time. Transfer the bread slices to a wire rack and let cool to room temperature.
2. In a large bowl, whisk together the eggs, half-and-half, brown sugar, lemon zest and a pinch of salt. With the tip of a paring knife, scrape the seeds from the vanilla bean halves into the egg mixture and whisk to combine; reserve the vanilla bean halves. In batches, dip the bread slices into the egg mixture, turning the slices to coat them evenly and letting the bread sit in the bowl for about 2 minutes to absorb the liquid. Arrange the bread slices in the prepared baking dish, overlapping them slightly. Pour any remaining egg mixture in the bowl evenly over the bread in the dish. Cover with aluminum foil and refrigerate for at least 2 hours or up to overnight.
3. To bake, preheat the oven to 350°. Transfer the dish, still covered with the foil, to the oven and bake for 30 minutes. Uncover the dish, increase the oven temperature to 375° and continue baking until the French toast is puffed up and browned, about 15 minutes more. While the French toast is cooking, in a small saucepan over low heat, combine the maple syrup and the 2 tablespoons of butter. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the butter has melted, about 4 minutes. Remove the pan from the heat and stir in the vanilla extract. To serve, pour the maple syrup mixture evenly over the French toast. Garnish with the reserved vanilla bean halves, if desired, and serve with berries and a dusting of confectioner’s sugar.
Local, Fresh, Convenient CSA Subscriber?
Have our fresh Farm & Larder goods hand-delivered to your home each week.
Broiled Heirloom Tomatoes
Topped with crispy Panko bread crumbs and Grana-style cheese, these beautiful tomatoes are a worthy supper side.
Ingredients:
4 heirloom tomatoes, sliced into rings
1 cup Panko bread crumbs
¾ cup freshly-grated Grana-style cheese
3 garlic cloves, minced
¼ cup chopped fresh parsley
Sea salt and fresh ground pepper
Method:
1. Preheat the oven to broil.
2. Lay sliced tomatoes in a baking dish, overlapping a few if needed. Sprinkle tomatoes with a generous pinch of salt and pepper. In a bowl, mix Panko, cheese, garlic and parsley with a spoon until combined. Evenly sprinkle the mixture over top of the tomatoes.
3. Broil for 2-3 minutes, or just until cheese and crumbs are golden. Remove and serve warm.
Local, Fresh, Convenient CSA Subscriber?
Have our fresh Farm & Larder goods hand-delivered to your home each week.
Summer Peach & Heirloom Tomato Salad
Incredibly fresh and light, this colorful salad is accented by a robust heirloom tomato vinaigrette.
Ingredients:
1-2 peaches, pitted, peeled and cut into wedges
1-2 heirloom tomatoes, trimmed of stems and cut into wedges
¼ cup thinly-sliced sweet onion
¼ cup fresh feta cheese
¼ fresh basil leaves, coarsely torn
Grilled Heirloom Tomato Vinaigrette (see recipe)
Sea salt and fresh ground pepper
Method:
1. Combine peach and tomato slices with sliced onion in a large bowl. Toss with about ½ cup of the vinaigrette. Taste for seasoning and drizzle with more dressing and season with salt and pepper as desired.
2. Transfer to a serving platter and top salad with feta cheese crumbles and basil. Serve immediately.
Local, Fresh, Convenient CSA Subscriber?
Have our fresh Farm & Larder goods hand-delivered to your home each week.
Huevos Rancheros
This classic Mexican dish beautifully showcases our farm-fresh eggs!
Ingredients:
4 eggs
4 corn tortillas
½ yellow onion, peeled and diced
1 15-ounce can of crushed tomatoes (or 1-2 very ripe tomatoes)
½ of a 6-ounce jar of diced green Anaheim chiles
½ teaspoon chipotle chile powder
Olive oil
Butter
Freshly-chopped cilantro, for garnish
Sea salt
Method:
1. To make the sauce, sauté the onions with about a teaspoon of olive oil in a large skillet on medium heat. Once the onions are translucent, add the tomatoes and their juices. (If you are using fresh tomatoes, chop them first, then add. Note that fresh tomatoes will take longer to cook than canned ones.) Add the chopped green chiles and chipotle chili powder. Bring to a simmer, reduce heat to low, and let the sauce simmer while you prepare the rest of the dish, stirring occasionally. Add salt to taste if needed.
2. To prepare the tortillas, heat a teaspoon of olive oil in another large non-stick skillet on medium high heat, coating the pan with the oil. One by on, heat the tortillas in the pan, a minute or two on each side, until they are heated through and softened. Remove to a plate and cover with foil to keep warm.
3. Using the same skillet, add about 2 teaspoons butter to the pan and heat the pan on medium high heat. Crack 4 eggs into the skillet and cook for 3 to 4 minutes for runny yolks, more for firmer eggs.
4. To serve, spoon a little of the sauce onto a plate. Top with a tortilla, then a fried egg. Top with more sauce and sprinkle with cilantro before serving.
Variation: Try topping each tortilla with cooked and crumbled chorizo sausage for an extra kick!
Local, Fresh, Convenient CSA Subscriber?
Have our fresh Farm & Larder goods hand-delivered to your home each week.
Heirloom Tomato & Grilled Focaccia Bread Salad
The beauty of this summery salad is in its simplicity: Be sure to use good-quality olive oil and season generously!
Ingredients:
4 cups focaccia bread, cut into large cubes
2-3 heirloom tomatoes, sliced
½ cup basil-infused olive oil
¼ cup fresh basil leaves, thinly sliced
¼ cup freshly-crumbled chevre cheese
Sea salt and fresh ground pepper
Method:
1. Preheat a grill or grill pan to medium-high heat. Toss the focaccia cubes with about 2 tablespoons of the olive oil. Grill the bread cubes until lightly charred, turning frequently with tongs. (A grill basket works well for this if you have it; otherwise watch that you don’t lose the croutons down the grate!) Remove from the grill and reserve.
2. On a large platter, arrange the heirloom tomato slices and drizzle with the remaining olive oil, and season generously with salt and pepper. Garnish with the chopped basil, feta and grilled bread croutons and drizzle with another swirl of olive oil and, if desired, balsamic vinegar as well.
Local, Fresh, Convenient CSA Subscriber?
Have our fresh Farm & Larder goods hand-delivered to your home each week.
Local, Fresh, Convenient CSA Subscriber?
Have our fresh Farm & Larder goods hand-delivered to your home each week.